Author Topic: Trailer tires (Read 21099 times)

wiliermdb · « **on:** March 07, 2011, 08:58:26 PM »

Need to replace the tires on the trailer under the Glastron. Currently the tires are Cooper passenger tires.

Been searching the net and it doesn't sound to great from one brand of trailer tire to the next. On occasion, I'll be hauling it 450 miles from Baton Rouge to Austin, TX when I visit my brother. Most common trip will be 20 miles round trip.

What are you running on your trailer?

Carlisle look to have a bad rap. Kenda Karrier appear to be good. Some say the Goodyear Marathons have gone down in quality over the years.

Jason · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2011, 09:15:01 PM »

Don't run passenger car tires. You need to run Trailer tires. Go to fleet farm, tactor supply, Northern tool, or some store like that and you can buy a new wheel with tire already mounted. They are not all that expensive and you don't need to pay for a mount and balance fee. Trailer lug patterns should be the same for all 4 and 5 lug wheels.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/trailer-tires/

Hyperacme · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2011, 09:21:47 PM »

My trailer (2004 Karavan) came with "Load Star" tires.
PSI is about 70 to 80.
I've heard not to use car tires also.

Jerry · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2011, 09:37:36 PM »

Northern Tool and Equipment. I but tires mounted on the rim cheaper than I can get tires for most places. http://www.northerntool.com/

wiliermdb · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2011, 07:09:43 AM »

Looking at the Kenda Karrier. Seem to be a very good tire and I can get them mounted on a galvanized rim for just under $100 each. A few sites have them for $90 - $98 each with free ground shipping for oders over Weight limit is 1360 so that puts it at 2720 for the pair. I figure my entire package wt to be around 1650 - 1700 with a full tank of fuel.

The guy I purchased it from has a set of Cooper passenger tires on it and it pulls like a dream. I towed it 170 miles the day I got it. Didn't sway at all. I know one thing. It doesn't beat the hell out of the boat like the last boat I had with bias ply tires. Every bump you hit you'd feel in the car.

Thanks for the info.

badgercarlson · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2011, 09:03:27 AM »

I've had Carlisle tires on both my CVX 16 and my red utility trailer for many years. No problems. My local Goodyear dealer also sells Carlisle tires but they want more money to mount them on old rims than the price of pre-mounted Carlisle tires at Fleet Farm.

CVX Fever · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2011, 09:10:34 AM »

My take on trailer tires is you pay more for an inferior product. IMHO the quality of any of them seems questionable at best. I've been running "P" tires under my CVX18 for 2 seasons now. Just make sure you've got the load covered.

Jerry · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2011, 09:24:42 AM »

My trailer tires are 8 ply rated, and hold 70 pounds of air. Hardly in inferior tire.

CVX Fever · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2011, 09:36:12 AM »

Hopefully they were manufactured correctly. I've seen too many "ST" tires simply self destruct. More than one that was simply attached to the trailer as a spare. This discussion comes up a lot over on the "Trailer Boats" forum. Here's a recent discussion:

http://boards.trailerboats.com/cgi-bin/trailerboats/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=002634

Hotwired · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2011, 10:10:46 AM »

I have some of each. My tandem axle trailers both have light SUV tires on them and have performed as good as the trailer tires that I have on my single axle trailers. Down here the sun does such number on the tires that the performance has never been a issue as the dry out faster than they wear out even keeping them covered and well dressed with tire dressing I use a Maguires product called Hot Shine. I also launch from a fairly rough rocky beach a lot. The wider more aggressive tread of the AT tires seems to hold up a little better. Kind of MAD MAX land out here! Lake levels can vary from full to near dry and the ramps do not always reach the water!

Jerry · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:00:10 AM »

Most tire failures occur because of low air pressure. Check the sidewall for pressure requirements. Most are between 70 and 90 psi.

Hotwired · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2011, 01:31:21 PM »

Very true ... I run all of mine around 45 psi. Both the passenger and trailer tires. I carry a compressor and deflate to slump the sidewalls if I am in sand in washes down here and also have done that on the sandy beaches up in MN of the ramp is under water or in no ramp conditions. Beach driving down in Mexico I would drop the pressure to about 25 lbs, the bigger foot print helps to prevent getting stuck but you have to really watch were you drive. Any sharp rock or broken bottle will rip up a sidewall in no time! If your tires are low on pressure crawl to the nearest pump!! Break a bead and you are really screwed!

Jason · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2011, 02:17:19 PM »

Quote from: badgercarlson on March 08, 2011, 09:03:27 AM

I've had Carlisle tires on both my CVX 16 and my red utility trailer for many years. No problems. My local Goodyear dealer also sells Carlisle tires but they want more money to mount them on old rims than the price of pre-mounted Carlisle tires at Fleet Farm.

I sure hope that trailer does not fall on top of that beautiful Crown vic/Grand Marquis!

wiliermdb · « **Reply #13 on:** March 08, 2011, 03:39:57 PM »

I called 6 tire places today and received the following info.

Cooper tire dealer - Will not sell the Cooper trailer tire as it is junk. Same with Carlisle. Said he's seen too many of the latter come in after a couple thousand miles looking like they had 20k on them.

Two others said no to Carlisle and recommended Kenda.

Two Goodyear dealers said they don't recommend the Marathons as over the past few years they have seen the quality of that tire go down.

I can order a radial Kenda Karrier on a galvanized rim for around $90 and get free shipping when I order two. May just go that route.

badgercarlson · « **Reply #14 on:** March 08, 2011, 04:47:37 PM »

This setup was my project last fall. I reinforced the rafters and then got 2 chain hoists (1/2 ton) from Northern Tool to lift the 300 pound trailer. Even though it is secure, I spent the first couple of weeks waiting to hear the sound of a trailer crashing on top of the Grand Marquis !!!!!!

V153 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:45:46 PM »

I got Dayton 'Thorobred' radials on my trailer & they seem to be holding up purty well. As Jerry said it's important to maintain proper inflation. Running a soft tire for any extended period of time will destroy it.

Btw I've discovered that overinflating your car/truck tires by a psi or two makes em last longer. Mebbe it's just me but I have a tendency to wear the outer edges out first ...

Jason · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:53:10 PM »

Make sure you have spare too. I never had any problems with my trailer tires. Then i trailered the boat on a 6 hour trip and decided maybe it's about time I get a spare. Sure enough, on that trip my tire nearly exploded. Notice the brand new spare on the trailer? If you don't have a spare, keep one of your old tires or order a 3rd.

wiliermdb · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2011, 06:04:01 PM »

So true about the spare. I actually sold a guy my old spare from my last boat while at the launch. Was fishing and when I was loading the trailer I saw the guy with a very frustrated look on his face. He was about 70 miles from home on a Sunday evening and nothing around the launch. I was only 20 miles from the house and in a pinch my neighbor would bring me a tire. He asked if I had a spare and I replied with "Yes, but it's a bit old." He didn't care and we changed it in the parking area. I told him to just take it but he insisted on paying me. He offered $50 because he was just ready to go home but I told him to keep $30 and apply that to the new tire. He was more of a happy camper after that. Gave him a cold bottle of water and off we went.

V153 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2011, 07:01:31 PM »

Ya good advice & a good story. Even though my ramp's only a minute away, I should carry a spare tire/rim.

I kinda like those mounts where ya can hang it from a spare hub. Seen those?

W. You will be rewarded in the future for helping the guy at the ramp out.

CVX Fever · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2011, 07:17:52 AM »

Jason's picture couldn't more appropriately illustrate why I will never spend another dime on "ST" tires for my boat trailers. Thanks for the reminder!